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Resident says Lynnwood police delayed response after 15‑year‑old went missing
Summary
At the July 27 Lynnwood City Council meeting, Michelle Schwartz told the council her 15‑year‑old grandson was reported missing at 7:00 p.m. the previous day and that the family waited about 3½ hours for a police response; she urged the city to improve immediate support for families of missing children.
Michelle Schwartz, a Lynnwood resident, told the City Council her 15‑year‑old grandson had been missing since about 7:00 p.m. the previous evening and said the family contacted 911 multiple times before hearing from police.
"Linwood police did not respond until 3.5 hours later," Schwartz said, adding that the family was told officers could only take a missing‑person report unless a crime had been committed. She said that left the family feeling "very helpless" and asked the city to consider better immediate supports for parents and guardians of missing children.
Schwartz said members of the community and city staff helped distribute flyers and that a police investigator later contacted the family after a staffer called the chief. The council thanked her for bringing the matter to their attention and acknowledged the urgency families feel in the first 24 hours of a disappearance.
The meeting record does not include further details about the police response or whether a formal city or police department follow‑up was scheduled during the session.
